Editorial: County votes for downtown's future

The concrete pad awaits steel framing on the future site of Toot'n Totum at Southeast 10th Avenue and Pierce Street.

One of the latest additions to the future of downtown Amarillo got a step closer to completion last week.

By a 3-1 vote, Potter County commissioners gave their stamp of approval Dec. 21 to a tax rebate incentive for a Toot’n Totum that will eventually be open for business at Southeast 10th Avenues and South Pierce Street.

The city still must approve the tax rebate package, which was supported by the Center City Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone board before Potter County commissioners voted.

The city likely will back the tax rebate package — and for good reason.

Breathing new life into downtown Amarillo is why the TIRZ board was created in the first place, and initiatives that will allow — if not encourage with financial considerations — economic and business expansion in downtown are the goal.

City Planning Director Kelley Shaw, who detailed the tax rebate proposal to commissioners (Toot’n Totum owner Greg Mitchell also was in attendance at the commissioners court meeting), correctly pointed out that Toot’n Totum is among the first retail-type businesses to take a chance on the future of downtown Amarillo.

And as Commissioner H.R. Kelly said, there is no guarantee Toot’n Totum will make it downtown, but the owners and those charged with directing the future of downtown are willing to accept the challenge.

In the case of downtown development, Toot’n Totum will be required to follow development standards that will only add to the appearance and future value of the property. The tax rebates will help offset the costs of meeting those downtown development standards.

There was discussion about shortening the length of the tax rebate proposal from 20 years to 10 years, but County Judge Arthur Ware, who originally brought up the 10-year idea, voted for the 20-year agreement.

If downtown Amarillo is going to reclaim even a part of its proud economic and social history, these are the type of cooperative projects among governmental entities that are going to make the difference — and will lead to even more business expansion in the future.